The protests have become a focus for fringe anti-capitalist causes.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall exhibited characteristic sangfroid after what must have been a terrifying few moments on Thursday night, when their car was attacked by rioters in central London. The couple continued with their planned visit to the Palladium, looking none the worse for their ordeal. Even though the Duchess was hit by a stick through the open window of the car, she was composed enough to quip: “First time for everything.” But while she was commendably nonchalant about the incident, it should not have happened at all – and has raised a host of questions about the Royal family’s security in particular and the policing of the student protests in general. It is clearly unacceptable that the heir to the throne and his wife should have been placed in such jeopardy. While David Cameron was correct to say that the true culprits were the thugs who targeted the couple’s car, it is still hard to understand why the Prince and the Duchess were travelling in such a conspicuous vehicle close to where violent protests had been taking place for several hours. It is too easy to blame their protection officers for failing to take the proper precautions – and it would be a mistake to hide Royal personages away – but the authorities will no doubt reflect upon what might have happened.

The incident, however, was merely the most prominent, on another day of shameful behaviour by the hooligans who have attached themselves to the protests against student fee increases. This was the third – and worst – outbreak of serious rioting and again the police’s tactics were found wanting, despite the presence of 3,000 officers. Sir Paul Stephenson, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has launched an inquiry to see if the protests might have been handled better; but in truth, the police are up against new circumstances that may require a different approach. Old-style demonstrations, supervised by stewards and sticking to an agreed route, have been replaced by an amorphous form of protest reminiscent of the mob that was once a common and feared sight in London. The spontaneous rampages of the rabble were one reason that the Met was established in 1829 as the country’s first police force. Today, it has to deal with something similar – outbursts of violence aimed at the Establishment and the wealthy. Whereas in the past, word of mouth brought the mob together, today the mobile phone, the internet, Twitter and Facebook provide easy and instant opportunities to organise its fury. While ostensibly about tuition fees, these protests have, in fact, become a focus for a motley array of fringe anti-capitalist causes and yobs looking for trouble. Since it is clear that the National Union of Students cannot control them, it should consider halting these demonstrations before someone is killed.

Yet without condoning the violence, we should be mindful of the deep sense of grievance among today’s youth – the widespread feeling that they have a raw deal. This generational inequity is most starkly exemplified by the imposition of student fees by people whose own university education was lavishly subsidised. Ironically, David Willetts, the minister in charge of the policy, was among the first to identify this phenomenon in his book The Pinch – How the Baby Boomers Took Their Children’s Future. Pension schemes and property booms have concentrated wealth and power in the hands of the older generation, while excessive public and private borrowing has left their children with a heavy debt burden, to be paid off through higher taxes. Today’s younger generation may be the first in modern history to be bequeathed a worse standard of living than its predecessor. As Mr Willetts said: “A young person could be forgiven for believing that the way in which economic and social policy is now conducted is little less than a conspiracy by the middle-aged against the young.” It does not excuse the violence seen on Thursday night, but it might go some way towards explaining the anger.